DevOps

DevOps is a combination of software development (dev) and operations (ops). It is defined as a software engineering methodology which aims to integrate the work of development teams and operations teams by facilitating a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility.

DevOps explained

DevOps can be best explained as people working together to conceive, build and deliver secure software at top speed. DevOps practices enable software development (dev) and operations (ops) teams to accelerate delivery through automation, collaboration, fast feedback, and iterative improvement. Stemming from an Agile approach to software development, a DevOps process expands on the cross-functional approach of building and shipping applications in a faster and more iterative manner. In adopting a DevOps development process, you are making a decision to improve the flow and value delivery of your application by encouraging a more collaborative environment at all stages of the development cycle. DevOps represents a change in mindset for IT culture. In building on top of Agile, lean practices, and systems theory, DevOps focuses on incremental development and rapid delivery of software. Success relies on the ability to create a culture of accountability, improved collaboration, empathy, and joint responsibility for business outcomes.

Core DevOps principles

1. Automation of the software development lifecycle. This includes automating testing, builds, releases, the provisioning of development environments, and other manual tasks that can slow down or introduce human error into the software delivery process.
2. Collaboration and communication. A good DevOps team has automation, but a great DevOps team also has effective collaboration and communication.
3. Continuous improvement and minimization of waste. From automating repetitive tasks to watching performance metrics for ways to reduce release times or mean-time-to-recovery, high performing DevOps teams are regularly looking for areas that could be improved.
4. Hyperfocus on user needs with short feedback loops. Through automation, improved communication and collaboration, and continuous improvement, DevOps teams can take a moment and focus on what real users really want, and how to give it to them.

By adopting these principles, organizations can improve code quality, achieve a faster time to market, and engage in better application planning.

What is the goal of DevOps?

DevOps represents a change in mindset for IT culture. In building on top of Agile practices, DevOps focuses on incremental development and rapid delivery of software. Success relies on the ability to create a culture of accountability, improved collaboration, empathy, and joint responsibility for business outcomes.

Adopting a DevOps strategy enables businesses to increase operational efficiencies, deliver better products faster, and reduce security and compliance risk.

The DevOps lifecycle and how DevOps works

The DevOps lifecycle stretches from the beginning of software development through to delivery, maintenance, and security. The stages of the DevOps lifecycle are:

Plan

Organize the work that needs to be done, prioritize it, and track its completion.

Create

Write, design, develop and securely manage code and project data with your team.

Verify

Ensure that your code works correctly and adheres to your quality standards — ideally with automated testing.

Package

Package your applications and dependencies, manage containers, and build artifacts.

Secure

Check for vulnerabilities through static and dynamic tests, fuzz testing, and dependency scanning.

Release

Deploy the software to end users.

Configure

Manage and configure the infrastructure required to support your applications.

Monitor

Track performance metrics and errors to help reduce the severity and frequency of incidents.

Govern

Manage security vulnerabilities, policies, and compliance across your organization.